Only Human
by SweetLithium
Summary: After being brought back to life by Cerberus Sheperd has a vendetta on all Reapers. Along the way she experiences vivid Flashbacks to the Events in Mass Effect and discovers that some things can't be killed by time, Femshep/Saren
1. Chapter 1 Regerts

(Someone missed the point about me naming the head doctor on the Lazarus station Doctor Mengele, which was on purpose thank you very much. I have a special place in my heart for World War 2 due to my own family's history. If I want to make a reference to a stain on human history I will. Good day)

"If only you weren't human" Sheperd ran it over in her head standing up she looked out the window to the Serpent nebula. Glares from the millions of lights caught her reflection.  
"Call me crazy but what is it that Turian was talking about? I know Saren lost his brother in the first contact war, seems my kind are always too rough too pushy why did I even join the Alliance?"  
sighing she leaned against the wall holding her helmet in front of her "Are we more alike than I thought? If I'd been born a Turian that is...only reason I was in the Alliance is simply this , there's always that one in a million that doesn't fit the mold, human children that aren't Xenophobic doctors that won't turn away someone just because their Krogan who will stand up for them? And I'm talking to myself again... Great" Still the thought ran in her head, what if she'd been born a Turian? "Don't you understand everyone you know and a love everyone you will all die." Shepherd let the helmet drop " And die I did Saren, no one let me stay dead though..."

Sheperd had been back all of a week, and already was taken orders from a terrorist group; The New Normandy would be refueled and ready to go to Omega by tomorrow night.  
"Together we can stop Sovereign. We don't have to submit to the Reapers. We can beat them!" it'd been two years sense she told Saren that, yet felt like early that morning. Not knowing what else to do she headed back to Joker's chair a bottle of some kind of wine.  
Sitting alone in the pilots chair at 3 in the morning wasn't exactly normal but she didn't exactly care, with out Mercs, rouge Cerberus agents and Illusive men either trying to kill her or treat her like dirt Sheperd finally had a moment to think, and turning EDI on mute didn't hurt either. "Commander Shepherd..." Kelly stepped up "Something is bothering you, Joker has told me you used to stay up late in the past, but never with a drink"  
Sighing she replied "Tell Joker to mind his own ,we're water and oil last time we mixed, I died" She could hear her Yeoman's stunned reaction "It'll be better this time Commander Sheperd." "I hope so. I died" Shepherd heard Kelly walk up to her and felt her hand on her shoulder "You've gone threw things no other human has, seen things I can only dream about done the impossible but you have to take care of your self, the crew looks up to you Commander forgive me" Kelly stepped back and walked off. "No Kelly...forgive yourself."  
Closing her eyes Sheperd fell asleep.

"Wakey Wakey outta my chair!" opening one eye she saw Joker standing over her "Come on Commander didn't you out grow this habit?  
heh should be glad, least now I know it's you and not some Cerberus clone" Nodding she stood up "I'm one damn good clone if I'm not the real Sheperd".  
Joker nodded before blinking he grinned "you muted EDI didn't you?" She nodded and smiled "I better go."  
Standing up Sheperd went to her cabin. Not long after Jacob went up. "I'd like to thank you Commander...for saving me back on the Station..." She turned "If you're here to talk about how much you don't want to talk I have other things to worry about Jacob, it was duty. Plain and simple"  
"With all due respect Commander-" cutting him off Sheperd replied "You know what I learned a long time ago Jacob? When ever someone says with all due respect, they really mean kiss my ass. You're not in my head. You don't know me. You're human Jacob."  
That got him silent "So are you Commander, unless you've forgotten your humanity Commander."I never had a humanity Jacob, I hate humans only reason I'm working with Cerberus is for revenge on the Reapers, if they have anything to do with the collectors, you tell a damn soul this... and I'll have you out an airlock before you can say sir yes sir. Am I understood? "Jacob gulped "Sir Yes sir." he gave a salute before leaving her cabin.

Sheperd looked over at the fish tank lining one wall Voices from two years ago ringing in her head"Some part of you must still realize this is wrong you can fight this" "Maybe you're right...maybe there is still a chance...the implants Sovereign is too strong I am sorry it is too late for me." "It's not over yet you can still redeem yourself "Goodbye Sheperd...thank you..." That was when Saren had pulled the trigger Sheperd didn't know when she started running toward him, before the bullet fired at least brushing the broken glass off of him the bullet hadn't killed him, oddly enough even though she'd seen a finger on his geth arm twitch it was his turian hand that met hers over his chest before falling limp. That was when everything started shaking the crazy red lighting everywhere Sheperd stood up and backed up. He was turning into a husk before her eyes, Wrex and Liara were next to come on the scene "I am Sovereign and this Station is mine!" Wrex pulled her back further yet she still felt Saran's geth arm slice across her shoulder... right threw her shields"Stay down Sheperd! We'll handle this". Soon after Wrex had said that part of Sovereign came crashing threw the window, she'd never been so close to a Reaper corpse... but that was the only thing she remembered. Waking up sometime later to hear the council talk about Sovereign and the geth. Knowing very well she would strike anyone down who talked about Saren luckily no one did.

Only Human, Part 2 Awakening

Omega was closing in, sitting in Joker's chair again Sheperd watched as parts of the asteroid bounced harmlessly off the Normandy's shields. Sighing she turned to EDI "you going to sleep anytime soon, or is bothering me a required part of your programming?" the AI had a come back all right "there is nothing wrong with off duty distractions Commander." Rolling her eyes Sheperd smirked, and hit the mute AI button on the control panel "opps..." Afterwards she could relax; every other crew member was asleep, perfect. Slowly Shepherd's own eyes fell shut not long after she too fell asleep.

"Again Commander?" Opening one eye she saw Joker over her "you need to see a doctor or something Sheperd. She smiled at him "hey at least I'm sleeping somewhere Joker, how close are we to Omega?" He shook his head" We're landed, Miranda and Jacob are waiting for you to get up sleeping beauty- oh and if anyone asks, EDI lost her voice, I think I like her more muted." Shepherd nodded and got up "here's your chair back Joker, better not keep the Cerberus Cheerleader waiting."

Sure enough neither looked happy with her. So Sheperd held back a smile climbing off the Normandy thinking "note to self, Miranda looks funny when she's pissed, be sure to push her buttons as much as possible, hell she might leave. Same goes for Jacob."

"You want to talk, talk to Aria." Shepherd rolled her eyes; they'd gotten into the nightclub, Afterlife. Going up to where Aria was a Guard stepped in front of her." Stand still." that didn't go over with Sheperd too well "try and you're scanning the inside of your colon!" Aria laughed "I'd almost pay to see that! But it's not an option, you want to talk, you get scanned." Shepherd sighed "If you're looking for weapons you're not doing a very good job." Aria seemed to sigh as well "Can't be too careful with dead Specters that could be anyone wearing your face." After the scan Sheperd stood up "I was told you're the person to talk too if I have questions." A slight smile spread across the Asasri's face "Depends on the questions." "You run Omega?" Aria turned away facing the nightclub in front of her "I am Omega!" The Conversation took several turns after that. Walking out of Afterlife Shepherd turned to Jacob and Miranda "Lower Apartments, that's where the doctor is let's go."

"There are robbers down there just let me get my things" The Turian guard just sighed "Sorry lady rules are rules it's a quarantine zone" "Are you Blind! I'm HUMAN the plague doesn't effect humans!" She walked up "Can I do something?" The Turian nodded "yea, just trying to keep a civilian from harms way." "I need to get down there; I'm after a salarian, Mordin Solus." The Turian seemed to blink "The Doctor? Yea he's in his clinic trying to get this mess sorted out let me tell the boys up a head you're coming down." Again the human had a stunned look "You're letting her in! You son of a bitch!" "Hey you don't have a grenade launcher lady."

Laughing Sheperd walked down and into the slums of Omega.

Back on the Normandy afterwords Sheperd sat in her quarters again. Letting her mind wonder. Mordin had given her drugs to help with the night terrors she'd been suffering from sense waking up on the Lazarus station. All that did was dull her senses, his apology was this "Useful...only to non cloned human life, guessing some things in you are not real, rather replacement, some is original self otherwise there would be no effects at all. None." Great so at least part of her was cloned from Another Sheperd.

Standing up she went over to her desk and checked out the dossier she'd been given by the illusive man, next she'd go to Illium and talk to a old friend there then pay bail to Subject Zero from a Turian lead prison ship, sounded easy enough, stop by Tuchanka and talk to Wrex. But first she had to see how noticeable it was part of her was cloned, Sheperd stripped off what she was wearing and headed into the bathroom built into her cabin taking a shower. Standing in front of a the mirror Sheperd trace scars on her body, some had been removed others...weren't there or she didn't remember, one on her shoulder ran all the way around, the arm was cloned looking carefully at that arms wrist and palm proved it, nothing the limb was mark less, not a scratch. Her ankle was the same way but that looked to be all the upgrading that had been done to her, which she could figure out at least. "Miranda! It wouldn't have killed you to tell me I was cloned." Voices in the back of her hear was whispering "you're not so different from Saren now, he had an arm grafted from machinery, so do you..." Sighing Sheperd changed back into her clothes going down a floor in the elevator.

Kelly glanced over "Some thing is bothering you Commander." Shepherd only nodded "Found out a dirty little secret Cerberus was keeping from me, they lied again about who I am now. But that's all I'm saying right now." Her Yeoman nodded "We're landed on Illium Commander."

Talking to Liara made Sheperd forget, for a little while about her discovery at being partly a clone, mostly when she mentioned knowing the location of Saran's body.

"Where is he Liara?" She smiled and stood up "He's in a Government run base, I can arrange for some Eclipse sisters to help you steal him if you want, they've frozen him in cyro meaning his body is breakable, if you can get the Lazarus station up and running again it's possible to bring him back, Turians aren't as genetically diverse as humans are and Dextrose DNA is easier to work with." Shepherd smiled, some tears fell down her face "Thank you Liara, I will return the favor." Liara smiled."Any time Commander..."

Only Human Part 3, Saren

Walking out of Liara's office Sheperd hailed a taxi going to the lower level of town walking into a building she tapped on a wall. "Hey Liara sent me, said you girls were who I wanted to see for a raid." An Asari came out of a doorway she smirked "Well sense Liara sent you, you must be Commander Sheperd, I'm Salix Norvana, me and my girls are going to help you get into a Salarian research facility." Shepherd nodded "I take it this place is also Government run?" Salix nodded. "Yea but Specters are above the law." Walking around the human she added "Could say you were just retrieving a fallen comrade's body, everyone knows Saren killed himself to try to stop the Reaper."

"Glad we're on the same side in this Salix." Sheperd smiled at the Asari. Standing up she followed her to a waiting ship. "So how long will this trip take?" Salix shrugged at the question. "Depends on how many guards there are near the cyro room ten or twenty just a couple hours once we get there, Illium isn't exactly close to Citadel space, well it's on the boarder actually but you get the point." Shepherd nodded. "That I do Asari. That I do..."

The ride to the Station was easy enough, though part of Sheperd told her it was because the Salarians weren't expecting a raid and that this was a civilian ship. The thought of those innocent lives she was putting at risk, or forfeiting in order to get Saran's body ate at her for sometime until she thought about how he died and what had happened to him in front of everyone's eyes while nothing was done loading a mantis sniper rifle she nodded to the rest of the drop team, glad she'd gone on this ...mission alone.

Letting her drop to the landing pad along with 15 Asari commandos wasn't something she'd done before but if everything worked out it would be worth it. Salix walked in front of the others "Alright, A team will take Sheperd up threw the air ducts to the Cyro room, the rest of us will make our way there and take them and the goal out ,then the ship will come around and take us to Illium again , Am I understood!" The other Asari nodded.

Soon enough Sheperd was in an air duct following the rest of the team she was assigned too while below she could hear gun fire and screams, most Salarian a few belonged to the other Asari. "This is wrong Sheperd you know it turn back..."Again that voice in her head was whispering to her she shook it off "No way I have to do this..." The air ducts got narrower... Her breather suite's readings told Sheperd the temperature was dropping rapidly. Up a head one of the Asari turned back in the ducts "We're right above the Cyro room, Salix and the others haven't gotten threw yet. What do you want to do Commander?" Sheperd looked the Asari right in the eyes talking her helmet off "You and the others stay here, wait for Salix to get threw those blast doors, and I'm going in solo." With that Sheperd kicked threw the air duct and fell to the floor, landing on her feet though the sound make a worker jump running up she pointed the barrel of the mantis sniper rifle at the arch of his back "Don't turn around don't make a sound or I'll shoot got it? Now get down on the floor and close your eyes." She watched the Salarian get down, more concerned about his one life than what she was planning. Next hacking into the Computer turmoil was easy enough. She entered the information on Saren. Species Turian, first name Saren surname Arterius. One of the Cyro pods slid off the wall. Sheperd smirked and walked over brushing off the top of the pod looking in.

Saren was badly burned covered in gunfire half his jaw was missing so was that geth arm. From what she could there was no question about it, he'd be partly cloned. Just like she was. Though it looked like the Salarians had beaten her to that part looking closer Sheperd saw that this Saren lacked scars that he'd had during life. Suddenly Sheperd remembered something. When Saren had shot himself there had been quite a bit of blood, the organic parts of him she saw before her could just be the result of cloning. The cybernetics the result of a Quarian messing around with what remained of Saran's implants. The only reason she saw was that maybe some members of different species had a lasting indoctrinate to the Reapers. Seeing as Sovereign wasn't one of a kind that seemed likely. Not that it mattered to her.

Walking over to the back of the cyro pod Sheperd entered an access code she'd gotten from the computer. The pod came all the way off the wall just as Salix and the others got threw the blast doors. "Took you long enough Asari." Sheperd watched as the others jumped out of the air duct. Salix walked over and looked into the pod Sheperd saw her shiver "Looks like Saren alright, so what did you want with his body anyway?" Walking back toward the blast doors Sheperd hid a smile from the others. "Oh...nothing"

"Access to Station security granted. Opening fire now" a AI over the intercom spoke out not long after gurgles and blood spattering met the Spectre's ears. Not long after a pair of Battle YMIR Mechs came into the cyro room, working together they picked up the Cyro pod containing Saren following Sheperd out while the AI erased all evidence that she had anything to do with this.

Back on the Civilian ship Sheperd looked over the Mechs she'd stolen from the Salarians. All looked in perfect shape after reprogramming them to either rebuild the Lazarus station or with the medical training needed to revive Saren. Sheperd was starting to like Mechs more than organics, they follow orders with out question don't whine and don't say anything really the LOKI mechs would work as medical personnel while YMIR as guards.

Some time passed and Sheperd was walking around the same medical bay on the Lazarus station that she herself had woken up in, the YMIR mechs had place Saran's cyro pod here. She opened the pod and drained it of the agent in use to preserve him, replacing with a regenerative substance made like Medi-gel but more potent, it would act like a protective jelly, half way full she stopped it and leaned over the pod with a syringe using that to get genetic material needed to clone missing internal organs and limbs letting the gel fill the pod Sheperd took the syringe and walked around the station.

Most of the mechs were busy repairing it or trashing human corpses and garbage out airlocks but a few were rebuilding a cloning lap. Stopping one Sheperd reprogrammed it again with cloning orders and what to do once cloning were complete mostly reattaching body parts. Also adding the address of her private turmoil for reports on Saran's progress.

Just to make sure things worked the way they were supposed to Sheperd had pulled favors with Eden Prime and Virimire getting key medical personnel from those planets to work on the Lazarus station. All Cerberus connections had been cut, and thrown out the airlocks so had tracking devices the only one left to find the stations location was on her omni-tool. And of course these medical personnel were more than happy to help, though none knew the identity of the Turian they were reviving, and 50k in credits was more than enough to keep it like that the only outside communication that would not result in the YMIR mechs killing them was to her turmoil. She was taking no chances. But it had been a couple days...the Normandy would have noticed her absence after a couple hours. There was no doubt that they would have talked to Liara... Possibly traced her steps. She had to go back to the Normandy now. Going back to the medical lap Sheperd looked in the cyro pod at Saren again, the gel was working she could see some of the wounds, including were she'd stuck him with the syringe healing up smiling slightly Sheperd put her helmet back on and took a shuttle off the Station.

Only Human part 4, Rebirth

Sheperd smiled, everyone had noticed a change in the Commander's foul mood, even Mordin was fooled "Stress...reducing activities such as taking a break seem to have aided in the Commander's sleep patterns, making her less aggressive, more akin to listen to reason." chuckling she rolled over in her bed scratching at her right shoulder, over where Saran's geth arm had cut her almost 2 years ago. looking at her left hand fingers Sheperd narrowed her eyes, blood, but it had a electric hue to it making it brighter than normal it kind of reminded her of Saran's while he was under the reaper's control. Until that is the voice in her head started to sooth her. "It's a trick of the light Sheperd... do not let it bother you..." Seeing as that voice in her head hadn't done anything in the past to suggest otherwise she listened to it and fell asleep.

Waking up the voice was still whispering to her." Check your private turmoil, don't talk to Kelly don't let her see any emotion off you..." Sheperd nodded and did as the voice said. Sure enough there was a report from the Lazarus Station."Sheperd, subject has responded well to gel, no vital signs yet no. But we are hopeful with in the next couple weeks to get some respond, it took months to get your heart going from the reports here, using that information and the gel we should have a pulse in three months. The LOKI mechs have put a skin graft over the left side of his skull rebuilding some facial structure. Also replaced part of implanted skull with a cloned one, and partly used bone fragment from his hip we are on the road to taking out the cybernetic implants. Those of us from Virmire say that everything is running smoothly." Sheperd smiled widely "Joker, set course for Korlus ." He responded "aye aye Commander." She nodded and headed up to her quarters again.

Knowing that going to Korlus would take time Sheperd went back and let her fall asleep. Standing up in her dream Sheperd saw that she was in a memory. Of what happened on Virimire a Flashback someone charged her she could feel a cold grip around her neck looking down Sheperd saw Saren was holding her over the edge again grasping at her neck she looked him in the eyes. Saren blinked his grip slacked Sheperd was falling... Saren lunged grabbing her. Looking up she caught the Turian Spectre clouded expression he grabbed her other shoulder with his arm she had his arm in a death lock. The only thing between her and a bitter end was how long Saren could carry her weight. Saren pulled her up neither said a word until he pushed her toward the others. "Go Sheperd!" Nodding she got up and looked back at the turian he was stagger back gripping at his head people shouldn't be able to scream like that... It was clear Sovereign hadn't approved of his action to spare her. Turing back she cast him a look. "I'm so Sorry Saren I have to do this..." Sheperd remembered giving Joker a direct order to leave one of the Normandy's smaller ships on planet, a escape route left for Saren...

Walking up Sheperd looked up at the ceiling she sighed and got up. "Another day, another dozen... heh least I'm finally getting a good night's sleep those night terrors were hell." Standing up she looked around, nothing really was going on it was quiet and peaceful.

Going down a floor Sheperd went into Mordin's lap. "Can I talk to you for a second Modrin?" The Salarian even looked busy then again when didn't a Salarian? "Can't talk right now trying to figure out how Scale itch got on Normandy... Sexually Transmitted disease carried by Varren implications not pleasant." Sheperd nodded "I'm taking you and Miranda on Korlus's surface just wanted to check in on how you're doing Mordin..." She started to walk away but the good doctor stopped her. "Unpleasent dreams Sheperd? Took blood sample while asleep, high blood, pressure Rapid eye movement rapid increase. Frightening Adrenaline rush off charts all signs of panic attack or intense dreaming." Sighing Sheperd nodded "Lately I've been reliving memories in my sleep, Virimire, Eden prime the attack on the Citadel..." The Salarian looked up "Post-traumatic stress disorder, seen in soldiers often enough and you are a solider Sheperd. Recommend Clonidine to ease with troubles." "Oh so now first you put me on that sleeping medicine now I have to take Clonidine?" Mordin nodded "That or can remove you from commanding officer, medical reasons concerning the Captain's health are always top priority." "Alright Alright I'll take the stuff." "Good choice, will see you on Korlus," Turing the Salarian went back to his experiments muttering under his breath.

Landing on Korlus wasn't exactly pretty. Around them Blue suns seemed to have their hands full as it was. Shooting them down was easy though going up further on the trail lead Sheperd to a wounded Bluesun's solider leaning down she questioned him. When it looked like he wouldn't last much longer she used a medi-gel on him. "Here that should keep you going until your buddies arrive." Standing back up Sheperd followed Miranda and Mordin. " I know which way to go to reach Okeer. Let's not keep our Krogan friend waiting. Mordin nodded. Fighting threw more Bluesun's and talking to a Krogan. Getting to Okeer was easy after that. Not so much was the YMIR but Sheperd being used to them by now took it out first, a few sniper shoots with her mantis sniper rifle took care of the Asari bitch. But when they got back to Okeer he was dead. Though the pod was still active

Sheperd returned to the ship, she had opened the pod and the Krogan inside , calling himself "Grunt" had joined up, it was only fitting seeing as Okeer was dead going to her private turmoil again Sheperd smiled. Another update from Lazarus. "He's alive" Those two words held her heart in her throat for a moment she coughed only loosely keeping herself together Sheperd ran back to her Quarters. She wasn't expecting this kind of emotional response it seemed to take for ever for her to get a hold of herself. What was it about Saren that had her doing this? Stealing his remains from the Salarian government. Rebuilding the Lazarus Station, getting everything together needed to bring him back? This wasn't simply her being nice no it had long gone beyond that...Returning a Favor? Yes Saren could have just let her fall to her death on Virimire. Or if that didn't kill her the bomb going off would have. No there was a far deeper reason she was doing this, she cared about him. "Oh great...the Galaxy's own traitor and you like him, out of all the men in the galaxy..." The funny thing was, that didn't bother her.

Going down to the Cargo bay past Grunt Sheperd got into an air duct, connecting the Normandy to a smaller vessel. Cloaked and clinging onto the Normandy's outer hull. Hacking into the Normandy's scanners made the ship blind to its smaller counter part. A fact Sheperd was thankful for. It would only appear for a moment on the ship's scanners then nothing as Sheperd was headed to a Mass Effect relay heading to the Lazarus Station's location. One tracker told her where the Lazarus Station was the other where the Normandy was.

There was more of a crew then she remembered on Lazarus, oh well if Saren was alive she was in too good of a mood to ask questions walking up the landing pad Sheperd noticed that all the repairs had been finished she smiled. Three LOKI and a YMIR mechs were cleaning up a broken flower pot but that was it really she shock her head making her way to the medical bay.

Sure enough in the gel Sheperd could see Saran's chest rising softy with every breath, a mask of some sort was over his mouth and nose keeping the gel from getting into his lungs other than that he looked in better shape. Sure you could see where they hadn't taken the implants out but those areas were small. Mostly on his arm. Walking around the cyro pod Sheperd took in the full detail of the cloners' and scientists' work. Saren was nearly complete as far as body wise just a few bits here and there were missing , considering that when she saw him two years ago he was little more than a pile of charred broken steel this was very impressive. "Commander,, he's one tough son of a bitch I'll give your Turian friend that." Sheperd nodded. "Has to be, what kind of progress is he making?" The cloner blinked "he's recovering from death long as he stays in that pod he'll be fine." Sheperd looked back at Saren. "I see, how long until he can come out ?" "Good year or too, right now a Quarian has a better immune system than he does most of our work has been on restoring organs." Rather than listen to a medical lecture on things she learned on the field Sheperd rolled her eyes and watched Saren.

"Oh that is not good!" Sheperd turned and looked at the person who said it."He's waking up early... quick someone medicate him!" There wasn't enough time for that as Sheperd watched Saran's eyes opened rapidly taking in his surroundings one of his arms broke the surface of the gel he was submerged in. Sheperd took his hand in hers "Easy Saren don't push it you're safe alright no one's going to hurt you." a worker kept saying "we're losing him we're losing him!" Sheperd kept her eyes on Saren ... he did seem in pain . She held his hand over his chest for a moment before setting it back at his side all the while Sheperd kept talking to him in a calm soothing manner. She watched the turian relax Saran's eyes closed she could hear the others calming down "We got him." The same Worker didn't seem to be freaking out anymore. "Sheperd, we have reason to believe that Saren is awake, and thinking we're reading brain activity. It spiked after you talked to him he knows who you are, looks like his memory is intact. Do you want us to sedate him or let him stay in his current state?" Sheperd looked over "Let him stay awake. Chances are he'll fall back asleep on his own , long as he's stable I don't care."

The worker nodded Sheperd let her attention turn back to Saren she lowered her voice whispering to him." You'll get better you have to, I'm going to kill every last Reaper in the galaxy that's a promise. The Reapers are going to die out next, we killed Sovereign, with your help it can be done these Reapers can be killed. Soon as you're better we can make sure of that together..." "And he's passed out." The worker stood up." Dreaming now, we've sedated him for another surgery, but sense he's awake he's been drugged with strong pain medications , it would be easier just to clone him fully instead of sowing this guy back together like a child's play thing what's so special that you have to have him?" Sheperd paused, she had to give a reason without exposing Saran's identity. "He's a very good friend of mine..We got into a fight before he died. I just want to make it up to him." Would you believe it they all bought that. "Alright, how long are you staying on Station?" "Just 2 weeks then I'm going back to the Normandy." "We'll get a room ready for you then Commander." Sheperd suddenly remembered that sense she got the message saying Saren was alive...she hadn't heard the voice in her head.

Only Human part 5, an odd perspective

(So far everything has been from Commander Sheperd's point of view I think it's time to mix it up a little, this chapter is also for thiefkingbakura1)

What were those voices? More importantly what was he? Dead, Alive, in-between? Saren didn't have an answer for his own questions. Every part of him ached with a dull pain but his head which was throbbing as if punishing him. Forcing himself to open his eyes Saren took in what he could see; some kind of gel like a cocoon was surrounding him, he wondered for a moment why he wasn't drowning then more of his senses returned to him . A breather mask was the answer. Wires were attached to him every which way and had clearly been there a very long time. One voice caught his attention, human female he knew he knows that voice's owner but Saran's mind was too dark to wrap his head around her identify.

Saren thought about it for a while, too weak to move there was nothing else to do but let his mind wonder suddenly everything came back to him..Virimire Sovereign the attack on the Citadel, Sheperd. The last thing he remembered was her by his side as he was dying. Had she said anything? No Saren didn't think so. Once again he could hear Sheperd's voice from outside so close...yet out of his grasp. Letting his eyes fall shut Saren fell into a deep coma like sleep.

He drifted in and out of conciseness for what seemed ages each time Saren felt...stronger. Though it startled him how accustomed he was to breathing the stale dead air a breather mask provided more and more of his memory was returning. Why had Sheperd gone threw this trouble to bring him back? He could no longer hear Sovereign's voice, no indoctrination was present in his or body. Testing himself Saren tightened his fist, stunned at how much effect such a small gesture took him. "He's waking up again Commander, what are you orders?" The voices outside of Saran's reach were muffled partly by the sound of machinery, machinery he realized was keeping him alive. "Long as his heart rate and vital signs are stable let him stay awake, I do not see a problem with Saran's condition currently Doctor Mengele."

Footsteps echoed around him letting his eyes focus above him Saren could just make out a humanoid form. "Yea he's awake Doctor, keep it that way but if you start to loose him I want this Turian medicated." Again a second voice met his ear "Yes Commander." Was he in such bad shape that he shouldn't really be conciseness? That would make sense considering how hard it was to move. Saren hated this helpless feeling knowing very well every breath he took was dependant on what a human of all things felt like keeping him alive or just letting death take him back.

His own simple test of movement had left him exhausted fighting to keep his eyes open Saren slipped back into unconsciousness after all it was so much easier to just let things run their course he'd get out of here eventually the question was when. And Saren was a very patience man .


	2. Sorrow Regrets

Closure:

First of all, I never thought that only human would get all the attention it did , so I thank everyone that read the story. Secondly; feel free to fill in blanks and write fan fiction of Fan Fiction with my Sheperd Symbula. (Turian Human babies are always a plus) or anything else you want. Lastly, here's what happens in the four years that the start of mass effect 2 and end of mass effect 3 covers with Saren and Symbula:

Symbula's cousin Skyla Sheperd goes off to become the sheperd that destroys the collector base. Another male relative romances Tali while Skyla hogs all of Garrus and his ASSets . Skyla saved the data, rallied the crowd with Tali's loyalty mission, and didn't take shit from anyone (other than Garrus and the girls on her crew) while Symbula spent the duration of Mass effect two fixing up and patching Saren. Though she did have Joker's chair stolen from the Normandy (Liara helped with that) so she could sleep in it with a bottle of booze all she wanted. Saren and Symbula were effectively exiles, he couldn't leave the Lazarus station because of both Ceberus and council forces after him since indoctrination hadn't been fully documented yet. Though when Skyla was placed on shore leave following the events of Mass Effect two Symbula offered to get her off earth multiple times; Skyla politely refused knowing that going that dark would not look good for her later.

Officially Symbula was killed in action- again following a report Garrus sent back to the council to come up with a reason why the first and at the time only human spectre was missing in action. Knowing that she came back from the dead last time Symbula was able to keep her status as one. She was then able to take control of a large group of geth heretics and convinced them to staff and crew the Lazarus station while she in secret worked on reprogramming them back into True Geth. In the mass effect three time line Symbula had the last of many a passionate night with Saren before kissing him goodbye as he and the rest of the Lazarus station's crew, YMIR and other mechas included fled to safety before Symbula took the station into the Turian home system using it as a battering ram against the Reapers, she spoke with Saren over communication channels up until the Lazarus station's weaponry was disabled from over heating. Then after saying, "It doesn't hurt anymore." Symbula dragged her broken and bloodied body to the main controls of the station and rammed one of the last remaining reapers in the same system as Palaven. Radio contact was lost almost instantly after this. Geth forces that Symbula had tutored and raised as her and Saren's children had come back to the Turian star system in time to see the crash and they ran the remaining two reapers out of Turian space.

After hearing about her Cousin's sacrifice to save the Turians Skyla fights on and chooses to destroy the reapers once and for all; this did not how ever end the Geth or EDI's lives, that was a lie the Reapers came up with to save their own existance. The Geth and Quarians ended the war between the creation and the creators and Bakara and Wrex welcomed the first of many a krogran newborn they'd named Symbula. One of Grunt's mates chose to name her son Mordin honoring a true friend of the Krogan.

Now that indoctrination had been fully documented Saren was able to return home, and as a present to the Primarch presented the suspected late Symbula Sheperd's research on reversing it to him. Owing him and the human a great deal Primarch Victus gave Saren his rank back in the Turian military and gave the former spectre a hero's welcome home. The Geth had already adapted Symbula's research into their own programming and where able to search the wreck of the Reaper and Lazarus station without fear of becoming pawns to the old machines. They were able to acquire scraps of Symbula's armor and the visual and audio surveillance footage of the minutes before the impact with the Reaper. In the days following the Reaper's forced retreat from his home world Saren himself went over the wreck, much like Garrus's ability to calibrate past what Legion thought possible Saren forced himself to deeper into the wreck then the Geth had.

He does find Symbula, with her armor's life support intact. Rather or not she survived is up to you as the reader.


End file.
